ARLINGTON, Texas — The Yankees and Cubs have officially agreed to a deal that will send Alfonso Soriano back to The Bronx, where he started his career.
The Yankees will be paying $5 million pro-rated this season and $5 million of the $18 million owed to him next year. In exchange, the Cubs will get righty Corey Black, who is a starter at Single-A Tampa. Black is 3-8 with a 4.25 ERA in 19 starts this season, but the Cubs view him as a reliever down the line.
Soriano wasn’t in the Cubs’ lineup Wednesday night in a 7-6 Cubs win over the Diamondbacks. Monday night a source told The Post the Cubs and Yankees were close on a deal.
With Curtis Granderson on the way back from the disabled list and possibly ready to play by the first week in August, Soriano’s main job will be as the designated hitter, and the hope is he can add muscle to an anemic lineup.
Because Travis Hafner has been in a two-month free fall, the right-handed hitting Soriano could become the full-time DH. Because the Yankees will have three left-handed hitting outfielders when Granderson comes back, Soriano could play left field against left-handed pitchers.
Soriano, 37, was a Yankee from 1999-2003 when he went to Texas in the Alex Rodriguez deal before the start of the 2004 season. In 501 games as a Yankee, Soriano hit .284 with 571 hits, 98 home runs, 270 RBIs and 121 stolen bases.
Soriano has a little more than $24 million remaining on a contract. He makes $18 million this year and next and the Cubs will pay the bulk of it.
There has also been speculation the deal will need approval from commissioner Bud Selig.
Soriano is batting .254 with 17 homers and 57 RBIs.